The Malaysian Insider :: Showbiz

Cannes’ Middle East films show Arab Spring unfurl

Sat, 26 May 2012 14:45:06 GMT

CANNES, May 26 – The “Arab Spring” is the focus of two movies at Cannes this year as film makers present tentative steps towards democracy on the big screen, one year after political upheaval in Libya and Egypt. While both films deal with contemporary events in the Middle East, “The Oath of Tobruk” (“Le Serment de Tobrouk”) is a French-language ...

Making France’s ‘Intouchables’ bankable in the US

Sat, 26 May 2012 05:20:02 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 26 — Last year around this time of France’s Cannes film festival, movie producer Harvey Weinstein pondered how to turn a silent black-and-white film, “The Artist”, into Oscar gold. His answer was to charm the socks off audiences with a simple tale of old Hollywood romance. This year, his Weinstein Co has a different French movie ...

Keira Knightley engaged to British rocker boyfriend

Sat, 26 May 2012 02:51:54 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 26 — “Pirates of the Caribbean” actress Keira Knightley is engaged to marry her musician boyfriend James Righton, her publicist said yesterday. Knightley, 27, who was nominated for an Oscar for her lead role in the 2005 film “Pride & Prejudice”, has been dating Righton, who plays in British indie band Klaxons, for about a year. “I ...

‘Cosmopolis’ brings star Pattinson to Cannes

Sat, 26 May 2012 01:09:30 GMT

CANNES, France, May 26 — “Twilight” star Robert Pattinson is a ruthless billionaire on a journey to self-destruction in Canadian director David Cronenberg’s “Cosmopolis”, a searing attack on greed and capitalism launching at the Cannes film festival. In the movie based on a Don DeLillo novel of the same name, capitalism is corrupting, characters ...

John Lydon boosts his Public Image with new album

Fri, 25 May 2012 10:05:28 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 25 — As bad boy lead singer of the anarchic, trail-blazing and short-lived 1970s punk band the Sex Pistols, John Lydon (then Johnny Rotten) snarled and spat his way across a shocked society and music scene still pleasantly half-high from the mellow 1960s. Never one to let the grass grow under his feet, Lydon left the Pistols in ...

Founding member of 3 Doors Down leaves band

Fri, 25 May 2012 09:57:10 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 25 — Matt Roberts, a founding member of Mississippi rock band 3 Doors Down, is leaving the group after nearly two decades due to health issues, the band said yesterday. "3 Doors Down will always have a special place in my heart and it saddens me to take this time off ... But my health has to be my first priority," Roberts said on ...

Singer Doc Watson in critical condition, hospital says

Fri, 25 May 2012 04:49:02 GMT

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina, May 25 — Grammy-winning folk musician Doc Watson is in critical condition at a North Carolina hospital, a representative for the medical facility said yesterday. The 89-year-old Watson is a singer of bluegrass, country, blues and gospel who is famous for his flatpicking style on the guitar and his interpretations of ...

Bersih 3.0 through the eyes of many

Fri, 25 May 2012 02:31:39 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 — While the authorities and organisers argue about the number of people who attended Bersih 3.0 and who started the violence that marred the generally peaceful protest that fateful Saturday, a group of photographers want you to see what they saw on April 28, 2012. Professional photographer Vignes Balasingam, a co-organiser of ...

‘Idol’ finale slumps, but Phillips tops iTunes

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:06:42 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 25 — The “American Idol” finale audience slumped to a record low, but the show’s newly crowned champion Phillip Phillips hit No.1 on iTunes yesterday with his first single “Home”. The 11-year-old Fox singing contest, once a TV industry juggernaut whose finale attracted more than 30 million viewers in 2006 and 2007, was watched by ...

Kidman ‘oversexed Barbie doll’ in gritty Cannes film

Thu, 24 May 2012 12:31:09 GMT

CANNES, May 24 — Nicole Kidman plays an "oversexed Barbie doll" in the hard-hitting murder drama "The Paperboy", premiering at the Cannes film festival on Thursday and notable for arresting scenes of sex, violence and urination. In the adaptation of a Pete Dexter novel, the Australian Oscar winner plays trailer-trash bombshell Charlotte Bless, who ...

Phillip Phillips crowned ‘American Idol’

Thu, 24 May 2012 02:23:03 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 24 — Indie artist Phillip Phillips won “American Idol” yesterday, becoming the fifth male singer in a row to take the title and a guaranteed recording contract. The 21-year-old guitar player from Georgia, who brought an indie vibe to the top-rated TV contest, beat ballad singer Jessica Sanchez, 16, of California in the public ...

With kids and career, Pitt says no time to direct

Wed, 23 May 2012 23:49:10 GMT

CANNES, May 24 — Brad Pitt, in Cannes to promote his latest movie “Killing Them Softly”, has no intention of following fiancée Angelina Jolie into directing, he told Reuters yesterday. The 48-year-old, one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, hit the red carpet at the film’s world premiere on Tuesday, drawing noisy crowds and the world’s media to the ...

Oprah expands online with Huffington Post

Wed, 23 May 2012 23:45:51 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 24 — Media mogul Oprah Winfrey is expanding her online empire by teaming up with the Huffington Post for a section dedicated to the chat show host that will engage her audience, the Oprah Winfrey Network said yesterday. The Huffington Post Oprah section will launch in August, and will curate content from Oprah.com, which features ...

Kerouac’s ‘On the Road’ hits screen in Cannes debut

Wed, 23 May 2012 13:49:11 GMT

CANNES, May 23 — The Bible of the Beat Generation, “On the Road” premiered at Cannes today, taking more than five decades for the frenetic tale of liberation, masculinity and post-War America to play out its journey from novel to the big screen. Furiously written on a typewriter over a three-week long creative binge in 1951, Jack Kerouac‘s On the ...

Top 10 VOD films in the US: ‘The Vow’ claims the top spot

Wed, 23 May 2012 09:40:15 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 23 — The week’s top watched video-on-demand (VOD) films were announced Monday by Rentrak, based on data collected over the period May 7-13, with The Vow, starring Rachel McAdams (Sherlock Holmes) and Channing Tatum (G.I. Joe) in first place. Newly released to VOD on May 8, the romantic drama follows a young couple whose lives are ...

Firth to star in Oscar Wilde biopic

Wed, 23 May 2012 08:32:08 GMT

OS ANGELES, May 23 — Colin Firth has signed to the film The Happy Prince, a biopic about Oscar Wilde to be directed by Rupert Everett (Hysteria, Shrek), marking the actor’s directorial debut. Everett will also write the dramedy and star in the film as the legendary writer, according to Variety. Firth will play his friend Reginald Turner. The story ...

‘Glee’ graduates face tears, fears, uncertain futures

Wed, 23 May 2012 06:58:47 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 23 — Eight stars of Fox TV’s musical comedy “Glee” bid farewell to McKinley High and headed down separate paths to pursue their dreams, leaving fans guessing how the show will follow their stories next season. Fox has said “Glee” will split time between McKinley High in Ohio and New York City, where two characters were heading, ...

Power ballad Sanchez vs. ‘genius’ Phillips on ‘Idol’

Wed, 23 May 2012 06:43:31 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 23 — Jessica Sanchez, the teen with the big voice, chose power ballads while Phillip Phillips went with an indie vibe as the two diverse “American Idol” finalists sang yesterday for the hearts and votes of America. Sanchez, 16, bidding to become the youngest ever winner of America’s most-watched TV show, was deemed ahead after ...

White House said to give inside access for bin Laden film

Wed, 23 May 2012 00:43:08 GMT

WASHINGTON, May 23 — The Obama administration arranged for two Hollywood filmmakers to get special access to government officials involved in the commando operation that killed Osama bin Laden, according to a conservative legal group that posted internal government documents on its website yesterday. Judicial Watch posted what it said were 153 ...

CBS declares TV victory, ‘Idol’ still most-watched

Wed, 23 May 2012 00:04:03 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 23 — CBS yesterday declared victory in the 2011-12 television season, saying it was the most-watched US network for the ninth year thanks to hits like crime drama “NCIS” and the nation’s top comedy “The Big Bang Theory”. Although three nights remain of the current TV season, CBS said it would win first place in total viewers by ...

Brad Pitt mob movie portrays broken American dream

Tue, 22 May 2012 13:28:42 GMT

CANNES, May 22 — Brad Pitt’s latest movie paints a bleak picture of the broken American dream, blending a violent but comic gangster story with overt criticism of politicians’ failure to address the economic crisis. “Killing Them Softly” takes place in an unspecified US city which has borne the brunt of the financial collapse — houses are ...

‘House’ bows out with a funeral and plenty of twists

Tue, 22 May 2012 04:02:41 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 22 — Medical drama “House” bowed out yesterday after eight years on television with a funeral, a friendship and multiple devious plot twists. As the curtain fell on one of the most popular TV series in the world, the misanthropic but brilliant diagnostician Dr Gregory House, played by Hugh Laurie, solved the most perplexing puzzle ...

Cannes film festival abuzz as dark tales shine

Tue, 22 May 2012 00:32:42 GMT

CANNES, France, May 22 — The Cannes film festival is buzzing this year with a string of hit movies in the official lineup, a procession of stars on the red carpet and plenty of eagerly awaited titles still to come. The unseasonably cold, wet weather has done little to dampen spirits among the famously picky critics and journalists on the French ...

Whitney Houston’s last record released for ‘Sparkle’

Tue, 22 May 2012 00:18:14 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 22 — Whitney Houston’s last recording — a new duet with “American Idol” winner Jordin Sparks — was released yesterday ahead of the singer’s upcoming film, “Sparkle”. “Celebrate”, produced by R. Kelly for “Sparkle”, which will hit cinemas on August 17, was recorded by Houston shortly before her sudden death aged 48 in February. The ...

Bill Murray stars as FDR in ‘Hyde Park on Hudson’

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:02:09 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 21 – The first trailer for Hyde Park on the Hudson, starring Bill Murray (Moonrise Kingdom, Lost in Translation) as US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was released May 20. The historical drama focuses on the weekend in 1939 of the first visit to the US by England’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth at Roosevelt’s New York ...

Michael Jackson is still ‘Bad,’ 25 years after album

Mon, 21 May 2012 13:54:08 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 21 – Michael Jackson’s “Bad” returns this September with new music and never-before-seen concert video in the first re-release of a full album from the King of Pop’s catalog since he died in 2009, Jackson’s record company and estate said today. The “Bad 25” deluxe package, released on September 18, commemorates the 25th ...

Danish child abuse film shocks Cannes crowds

Mon, 21 May 2012 07:53:55 GMT

CANNES, May 21 — Danish director Thomas Vinterberg burst on to the scene in Cannes in 1998 with the acclaimed “Festen”, and critics say he is close to his best again this year with “The Hunt”, a shocking take on child abuse and its impact on a small community. Unlike some movies on the same theme, The Hunt leaves no doubt as to the main ...

Adele, LMFAO sweep tribute-filled Billboard Awards

Mon, 21 May 2012 04:45:37 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 21 — Energetic performances and heart-felt tributes took center stage at the Billboard Music Awards yesterday, as Adele, LMFAO, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and Taylor Swift came away top awards. British Grammy-winning singer Adele won 12 awards from 18 nominations for her juggernaut album “21,” including top artist, top female ...

Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb dies aged 62

Sun, 20 May 2012 23:18:34 GMT

LONDON, May 21 − Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb, who with brothers Barry and Maurice helped define the disco era with their falsetto harmonies and funky beats on smash hits such as “Stayin’ Alive” and “Jive Talkin’,” has died after a long fight with cancer. He was 62. The singer had colon and liver cancer and, despite brief improvements in his health ...

Cannes director Haneke faces death in moving ‘Love’

Sun, 20 May 2012 23:08:42 GMT

CANNES, May 21 — It is a subject rarely tackled in cinema, but Austria’s Michael Haneke forces us to confront the reality that will befall us all — the end of life — in “Love”, his beautiful and devastating film at Cannes. The French-language feature “Amour” follows an elderly married couple, former music teachers, who are enjoying a comfortable ...

Kanye West to debut short film ‘Cruel Summer’ at Cannes

Sun, 20 May 2012 07:18:13 GMT

CANNES, May 20 — Hip hop artist Kanye West will debut his short film ‘Cruel Summer’ on May 23 at this year’s Cannes Film Festival it was announced on Friday, May 18. The short art film was apparently inspired by the G.O.O.D Music album of the same name. Kanye West promises “a fusion of short film and art installation” and an “immersive ...

Filipino Christian conservatives denounce Lady Gaga concert

Sat, 19 May 2012 15:37:01 GMT

MANILA, May 19 — Conservative Christian groups in the Philippines today marched near a shopping mall to demand the cancellation of Lady Gaga’s two concerts next week, saying her songs carried “demonic” undertones. The protests in the heavily Catholic Philippines followed a decision this week by authorities in Indonesia, a secular state but with ...

Joke on Europe as Madagascar sequel comes to Cannes

Sat, 19 May 2012 14:39:06 GMT

CANNES, France, May 19 — The joke is on Europe, and in particular France, with the third animated “Madagascar” adventure, which had its world premiere at the Cannes film festival yesterday, bringing big names in comedy to the red carpet. “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted”, from DreamWorks Animation, is the first instalment in the franchise to be ...

‘Vampire Diaries’, Justin Bieber lead Teen Choice nominees

Sat, 19 May 2012 05:51:16 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 19 — TV show “The Vampire Diaries” earned a leading six nominations for the annual Teen Choice awards yesterday, with Justin Bieber and talent show “American Idol” coming a close second with five nods apiece. “Vampire Diaries”, which airs on the CW network, pushed aside blockbuster movies like “The Avengers” and “The Hunger Games” ...

Noomi Rapace in ‘Prometheus’ viral video

Sat, 19 May 2012 01:24:36 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 19 — The latest viral video from Ridley Scott’s upcoming film Prometheus, features Noomi Rapace as Dr. Elizabeth Shaw in a foreboding video message. The Prometheus video shows Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Iron Man 2) sending a request to the Weylund Company to send her to the place where the secrets to life will be ...

Make your mind up J.Lo, says ‘American Idol’ producer

Sat, 19 May 2012 00:41:25 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 19 — Jennifer Lopez and “American Idol” producers played a cat-and- mouse game yesterday over the singer’s future on the TV talent show that revived her career and sent her to the top of a global celebrity power list. “American Idol” producer Nigel Lythgoe said yesterday that Lopez (picture) must decide whether to sign up as a ...

‘Madagascar 3’ roars: Twitter highlights from Cannes

Fri, 18 May 2012 15:06:22 GMT

CANNES, May 18 — “Cannot wait for Madagascar 3 to come out,” say Twitter users after the animated film made its Cannes debut. Further online reaction to this latest edition in the much-loved animated franchise can be found below in this latest article from Relaxnews examining social media reaction to the Cannes Film Festival. The third in the ...

Chinese ‘Mystery’ opens Cannes sidebar race

Fri, 18 May 2012 14:21:40 GMT

CANNES, May 18 — A Chinese thriller about a family man leading a double life kicked off the parallel new talent section of the Cannes Film Festival yesterday, in presence of director Lou Ye and his cast. British director Tim Roth heads the jury for this year’s “Un Certain Regard” competition, with new work from 17 up-and-coming directors including ...

‘Avengers’ may sink ‘Battleship’s’ US launch

Fri, 18 May 2012 06:26:13 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 18 — The big-budget action film “Battleship”, produced by Comcast’s Universal Pictures, is shaping up to become the next film to fall victim to record box office march of “The Avengers”. Universal’s new sci-fi blockbuster, which opens on May 18 in 3,690 US and Canadian cinemas, was projected to rake in ticket sales of US$35 ...

Jessica Sanchez, Phillip Phillips make ‘Idol’ final

Fri, 18 May 2012 03:35:29 GMT

NEW YORK, May 18 — He brought the “American Idol” judges to their feet, but Joshua Ledet couldn’t win over fans and was sent home from the top-rated TV talent show yesterday, leaving Jessica Sanchez and Phillip Phillips to battle for the crown on next week’s finale. The elimination of Ledet — through audience voting and not by the judges — sets up ...

Disco queen Donna Summer dies at 63

Fri, 18 May 2012 00:16:16 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 18 — Disco queen Donna Summer, whose sultry voice and pulsing rhythms on hits such as “Last Dance” and “Love to Love You Baby” defined the 1970s disco era, died of cancer yesterday at age 63. Summer, who won five Grammys and sold more than 130 million records worldwide, died surrounded by her family in Naples, Florida, publicist ...

Van Halen postpone more than 30 concert dates

Thu, 17 May 2012 23:53:31 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 18 — Rock band Van Halen yesterday postponed more than 30 concert dates of their US summer tour, leading to speculation the “Runnin’ with the Devil” group was feuding again. The band’s official website, van-halen.com, took down all its dates after June 26, listing only 15 more shows, ending in New Orleans. Closely-watched fan ...

Forbes names Jennifer Lopez ‘most powerful’ star

Thu, 17 May 2012 09:56:19 GMT

NEW YORK, May 17 – Jennifer Lopez is the world’s most powerful celebrity, according to Forbes magazine in a rankings based on a combination of earnings, press coverage and Internet presence. Lopez (picture) headed the 100-strong list, up from 50th last year, while her American Idol colleague Ryan Seacrest was 29th. Lady Gaga, the pop singer, came ...

Busy Lopez casts doubt on more ‘American Idol’

Thu, 17 May 2012 01:00:05 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 17 — Jennifer Lopez is casting doubt on whether she will return to “American Idol” next year as she juggles motherhood with a comeback in both her pop music and acting careers. Lopez, who has young twins, told talk show host Ellen DeGeneres this week that she wasn’t sure about renewing her contract as a judge on the TV singing ...

Britney is back — and so are the brickbats

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:10:57 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 17 — Britney Spears has not even taken her seat as the new judge of “The X Factor,” but the pop icon is already getting a lesson in the media glare of live, talent show television. Spears had barely wrapped up an appearance in New York confirming she is joining the singing contest before the celebrity knives were out, raising the ...

‘Godfather of Go-Go’ Chuck Brown dies aged 75

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:05:18 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 17 — Chuck Brown, known as the “Godfather of Go-Go” for the subgenre of funk music he helped create, died yesterday at the Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore after being admitted earlier this month suffering from pneumonia. A spokeswoman for the hospital confirmed the death but could not provide a cause, and Brown’s ...

‘Moonrise Kingdom’ called ‘very, very funny,’ ‘chic and charming’: Twitter highlights from Cannes

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:59:37 GMT

CANNES, May 16 — Wes Anderson’s tale of young love and escape Moonrise Kingdom is the opening film for this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Critics and other attendees of the first screening took to Twitter to express their opinions, a selection of which can be found below in the first of a series of articles from Relaxnews examining social media ...

Bradley Cooper stars in ‘Hit and Run’

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:51:24 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 16 — The first trailer for the romantic-comedy Hit and Run, starring Bradley Cooper (The Hangover) and Kristin Bell (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) was released May 15. Cooper, who wears dreadlocks, plays the former cohort of Dax Shepard’s character, an ex-bank robber in the witness protection programme whose past returns to haunt ...

Baron Cohen’s dictator storms Cannes, camel in tow

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:14:45 GMT

CANNES, May 16 — It took no less than a live camel strolling the promenade in Cannes to steal the show on the film festival’s opening day, a feat that comedian Sacha Baron Cohen pulled off with chutzpah today. The British satirist, star of “Borat” and “Bruno,” used the novel public relations stunt to draw attention to the US opening of his new ...

A Minute With: Lopez, Banks on expectations when ‘Expecting’

Wed, 16 May 2012 09:29:08 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 16 — Jennifer Lopez and Elizabeth Banks — stars of this Friday’s baby comedy movie “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” are two Hollywood moms who could not be more different. Lopez is a newly divorced, singer and actress with twin toddlers, Max and Emme, whose busy schedule includes being a judge on TV’s “American Idol” and ...